OBJECTIVES: Vaccines tend to accrue a relatively large part of their value through value elements such as patient and carer productivity. Yet, productivity value is not commonly or consistently considered in health economic evaluations of vaccines in several high-income countries, which may lead to an underestimation of their value. To understand the impact of productivity value on the cost-effectiveness of vaccination in the UK, we illustrate the extent to which the incremental costs would change with and without productivity value incorporated.

METHODS: For two vaccines currently under development, one against C. difficile infection (CDI) and one against respiratory syncytial disease (RSV), we estimated their incremental costs with and without productivity value included, and compared the results. In addition, various sensitivity and scenario analyses were performed.

RESULTS: In this analysis reflecting the UK healthcare system perspective, including productivity value for CDI would result in a 62% or £12 (plausible range £1-£191) increase in expected cost-savings for every person vaccinated. For RSV, including productivity value would reduce the expected incremental costs by 58% or £49 (plausible range £10-£280) for every vaccinated person.

CONCLUSIONS: Considering productivity costs in future cost-effectiveness analyses of vaccines for CDI and RSV will contribute to better-informed reimbursement decisions from a societal perspective.